The present invention relates generally to shrouds for covering spoked bicycle wheels, and more particularly, to a plastic shroud for a spoked wheel which provides access to a valve stem and facilitates securing a reflector to the wheel.
A variety of shrouds and covers for the spoked wheels of bicycles, tricycles and the like have been used for safety reasons and to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the associated vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,004,798, 3,602,550 and 4,202,582 disclose a variety of covers for enshrouding spoked wheels. The covers disclosed in those patents do not provide access to the valve stem of the wheel to which they are applied. Consequently, if the spoked wheel and shroud is used with a pneumatic tire, the covers must be partially or totally removed from the wheels in order to add air to the tires.
A shroud for a spoked wheel which, to a limited extent, overcomes the problems associated with filling a tire mounted on the wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,962. That patent discloses one of a pair of wheel covers having an opening formed to receive a bent valve stem extension which can be secured to the valve stem of the associated tire. While the use of the bent valve stem extension may permit the tire to be filled without removing the cover, it cannot be assured that the valve stem extension can be secured to the valve stem of a bicycle wheel such that it extends at right angles thereto for assembly of the wheel cover and still properly seal the valve stem. Furthermore, the provision of a bent valve stem extension adds to the cost of providing such shrouds and increases the time required to attach the shroud to the wheel. It is also noted that none of the shrouds of the cited patents disclose a convenient way of securing a reflector to the cover to add to the visibility of the associated bicycle.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists for an improved spoked wheel shroud which substantially covers the spokes, provides access to the valve stem of a bicycle wheel to which the covers are mounted, and also facilitates the use of wheel reflectors.